


But Seriously, How Did You Miss Ian's Heart Eyes?

by floateron



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M, Mickey and Ian work at a non-profit together, brief mention of canon rape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 22:57:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4455716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floateron/pseuds/floateron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ian could forget, sometimes, that moving out of Chicago meant moving away from the gossipy tools who knew all your business and used it against you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But Seriously, How Did You Miss Ian's Heart Eyes?

The thing about leaving South Side, Ian considered, was that he forgot, sometimes, that it meant leaving the people who’ve known them all their lives. 

You got used to people, in South Side, knowing your business, being nosy gossips, knowing your family history better than you did. The Alibi’s usual crowd, the neighborhood, old classmates everywhere- they knew you and your life story, even if they more likely than not didn’t give a horseshit. 

Ian could forget. Ian could adapt to pretty much anywhere. Mickey insisted on it, praised him for it- in his reluctant, grumpy Mickey way, which involved calling him tough guy and maybe some sexual-intent laced wrestling. Mickey grumbled that he sticks out like a sore thumb, but Ian laughed and cupped his face and smiled and Mickey rolled his eyes and they were very much in love, so it was easy to lose those lines of conversation. 

So when Ian was working on piles upon piles of filing in the basement of the nonprofit both of them had been hired at with a coworker who Mickey consistently complained about (which didn’t mean much, because Mickey complained about a lot of people), Ian at first laughed it off when the guy asked how a gay guy like Ian could stand to be friends with a homophobe like Mickey. 

Ian almost understood it, because they were in this super liberal place now and all of Mickey’s internalized shit made it hard for him to get used to it all- and hard for them to get used to him. Still, Ian rolled his eyes, and continued putting documents where they’re supposed to be, and said, “Awwwww, give him a break. His upbringing wasn’t the greatest. You should have seen him when I first met him.” 

Dave paused and looked up at Ian from across a few cabinets. “I always forget that you too used to know each other back in Chicago. It’s like you too come from different worlds.”

Ian gave him a tight smile, because it was not so much a compliment. He was South Side, even if people thought he was too good for it. Not to mention, as rough as Mickey was, Ian did love the guy. 

The coworker continued, not noticing Ian’s strain. “And that still isn’t an excuse. The gay community goes through enough without having to deal with his bullshit too.”

Ian raised an eyebrow and frowned. “Yeah. Tell him that though and he’ll laugh in your face.” After all, Mickey had pretty much seen the worst of it. Calling shit gay when it had to do with femininity and emotions was the least of his concerns when he had to deal with nearly being murdered by his dad, rape, coerced marriage, and a kid on top of it all. 

This, somehow, only ticked off the coworker even more. Dave frowned harder and seemed to force documents into their file cabinets with prejudice. “What an asshole. You sure you like him?” 

Ian laughed and shrugged. “Alas, Dave, I do, in fact, like the man I’ve been dating since I was seventeen.” 

Dave paused, confused. He eyed Ian, until he finally set his work down on the open filing cabinet.

Ian was confused by his confusion. “What?” he asked lightly.

Dave gave him a look. He straightened his back to fully to face Ian over the cabinets. “What?” he said loudly, eyebrows furrowed. 

Ian set his documents down too. “What what? Did you not know we were dating?” Which would make sense as to why Dave was trying to trash talk Mickey to Mickey’s boyfriend. 

Dave nearly slammed his hands papers in front of him, not quite hard enough to put pressure on the cabinet, but enough to rustle his papers. “What!?” he exclaimed again. 

Ian smiled awkwardly though his eyebrows were still turned down. “How did you not know? We moved here together. We share an apartment. We come in together and leave together. I mean I know we’re not into PDA, but we’re fairly affectionate with each other.”

Dave stood there stunned and stewing. Finally, “Mickey’s gay!?” 

Ian shook his head. “That’s what you’re getting out of this? Of course he is, haven’t you heard about the time he-” but he cut himself off because no, of course he hasn’t heard about time Mickey came out publicly in a bar full of people. Or the time he and Ian got drunk and made out in a street full of people. Or how “only a tough guy like him would date a total psycho like Gallagher.” No one here knew about the Milkovich reputation or the courage it took for Mickey to come out to his Nazi piece of shit scum father or, hell, even Mickey humping a cop car as he was about to get arrested. This wasn’t actually the south side of Chicago where gossip was like currency and everyone stuck their fingers in everyone else’s pies. 

Ian kind of started laughing. Hard. “Holy shit, give me a moment,” he said breathily between guffaws. He laughed so hard he clutched his stomach and nearly fell over, having to lean against the side of the cabinet in front of him. 

Dave was still standing there, concerned, and now really embarrassed. Ian laughed just a bit longer after seeing his face. 

Ian righted himself, still lightly laughing. “One sec. I gotta go see Mick.”

Ian walked up the stairs, moving through corridors until he got to Mickey’s desk in the Accounting department. Mickey hated working in the bullpen, counting down the days until he could swipe Melinda’s desk by the window when she would leave for maternity. Ian grinned as he spotted Mickey, grouchy looking and chewing his lip as he grumbled to himself, using a pencil to fill in numbers and calculate prices. A few heads popped up around Mickey and Ian leaned over Mickey’s tiny dividing wall. 

“Hey,” he grinned, grinning even harder when Mickey held up his pointer finger, signaling he wanted to finish a last row. Warmed his heart, knowing Mickey would have just as willingly held up his middle finger. 

“What the fuck are you doing here, Gallagher?” Mickey asked, aggressive as ever.

Ian’s smile widened. “You will never believe the conversation I just had with Dave.” 

Mickey rolled his eyes. “That’s what you fucking interrupted me for? Jesus, Gallagher, tell me why this couldn’t wait?”

Ian leaned his face in close to Mickey. “Apparently it’s not common knowledge that we are madly in love,” he said, his voice low and seductive. 

Mickey blushed a little from the proximity, but still grumbled, “How is that important enough to warrant a trip down to the nerd bowl?” 

Ian pecked a kiss on his nose. Mickey frowned, but the corner of his lip turned up soon enough. Ian smiled again. “Sometimes I forget that we live in a place where not everyone has heard about you humping a cop car while yelling about how much you like dick.” 

Mickey laughed loudly at that. “And aren’t I fucking glad about that.”

They grinned at each other, and Ian decided now was a good of a time as any for them to take their lunch break. He started dragging Mickey down to the elevator to get out of the building. They passed their respective supervisors, and Ian charmed them into letting the both of them take an early lunch. Seriously, Mickey rolled his eyes, but still grinning. That Gallagher charm could get Ian anything he wanted. Mickey was mostly just content to be one of those things.


End file.
